Montly Muffin Challenge: January

In the spirit of it being the first month of my new endeavor - the monthly muffin challenge, I made 2 different types this month - both from my Nigella Express cookbook - Banana Butterscotch Muffins and Pear & Ginger Muffins. I liked both which both went over well at the slumber party, but I perosnally was a bigger fan of the former which had a bolder taste in my opinion.

On a side note, I felt as those the kitchen gods had it out for me this weekend. While putting my muffin tin full of my first batch in the oven with just my right hand (mind you, my left one was still in some pain from the night before), I lost my grip on the pan and it then tilted off of the rack and went splat....upside down on my oven door. Batter, EVERYWHERE, oozing down in between the crack of my oven door and where it meets the oven...into the the drawer under the oven. Almost all of the pans I had under there had to make a trip to the dishwasher because of it. All was lost...and a mess.

Honestly if I had found it as humorous at the time that I do now (ok, I'll admit, I still don't find it particularly amusing), I probably would have snapped a picture of the debacle, however, needless to say I was one UNhappy camper. Luckily my husband did "damage control" since I was far too annoyed with myself to do much cleaning up. Also lucky for me, I had enough bananas to make another batch. Never a dull moment I tell ya.

Banana Butterscotch Muffins

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 400F and line a 12-cup mufin pan with paper liners.

Measure the oil into a large glass measuring cup and beat in eggs.

Combine all dry ingredients except for butterscotch chips in a large bowl. Then add in liquid ingredients followed by mashed bananas. Once combined, fold in butterscotch chips.

Divide equal quantities of batter into muffin pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.


Pear and Ginger Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 6 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup peeled and chopped pears, about 1/4 inch dice


Preheat oven to 400F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups.

Measure into a bowl the flour, granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and ground ginger.

In a large mesuring cup, whisk together wet ingredients. Then blend these ingredients into the dry ingredients. Lastly, mix in diced pairs and divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Sprinkle each muffin with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar before placing in oven. Bake for 18 minutes and remove to cooling rack once done. Best eaten warm.